At $3,499, the Apple Vision Pro is still financially inaccessible to many, making it imperative for the California-based firm to continue exploring options that will help bring down the overall cost of the affordable version that may launch in a few years. However, according to one report, several of those decisions may involve switching from a Mac chipset to an iPhone one, along with other compromises.
A price range of $1,500 to $2,500 has been discussed for the low-cost Apple Vision Pro, but it will have a host of features that have been removed from the original headset
The current Apple Vision Pro features two 4K microLED screens that can only be sourced from one supplier at this time, which is Sony, and is one of the biggest culprits as to why the mixed-reality headset is priced the way it is. According to the details shared by Mark Gurman’s‘ Power On’ newsletter, Apple and its executives are discussing pricing brackets for the low-cost version and deciding which hardware changes should be incorporated.
One of them is switching from a Mac chipset to an iPhone one, coupled with using a low-resolution display, which will sport fewer pixels and will not stress the less powerful SoC as much. The report does not mention if a co-processor similar to the R1 will be used in the affordable version of the Apple Vision Pro, but it does state the lack of EyeSight, a technology existing in the external display that actually shows the wearer’s eyes. Other changes, such as fewer cameras and sensors, are also expected to reduce the price.
“The company has internally discussed prices ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. When I first reported on the cheaper device earlier this year, I noted that Apple was aiming to bring down the cost by using lower-resolution displays and an iPhone processor rather than a Mac chip. I’m now told that the company is also likely to remove the EyeSight feature — the external display that shows a user’s eyes — and include fewer external cameras and sensors.”
The affordable variant of the Apple Vision Pro is also said to be lighter and smaller, with the possibility that the company integrates prescription lenses directly into the AR headset, streamlining the design and making it less of a cumbersome experience for wearers. With the original Apple Vision Pro’s launch said to happen early next year, it is reported that the low-cost model will not arrive before 2025. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said that the launch of the cheaper version may not happen at all if Apple cannot address the pricing problem at this time, so that continues to be a major hurdle.
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